DA welcomes Gumede’s resignation

27 August 2019

The DA in eThekwini welcomes the resignation of former Mayor Zandile Gumede. Gumede’s term has been nothing but bad news for Durban residents, and it’s a relief that it’s finally over.

The DA has been instrumental in enforcing accountability in eThekwini and forcing the ANC’s hand to finally recall Gumede. However, it took the ANC far too long and the damage done to the municipality has been far too great.

It’s clear that the ANC acted when the pressure was too great to do anything else, and not out of the genuine need to see Gumede gone. Gumede was on paid leave as instructed by the ANC for three months, and continued to earn her R115 000 monthly salary.

The municipality must now move to recover losses from Gumede and those who worked with her to loot eThekwini. The city’s Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption policy demands that this happens when people have been found guilty of wrongdoing. Resigning is not enough when hundreds of millions of rands, of public money, are involved.

The DA now turns its focus to the 62 councillors named in the court case as having worked with Gumede. These councillors must be properly investigated, charged and held to account for what they have allegedly done. It’s untenable that almost a third of the Council has been involved in tender fraud.

The DA will continue to work to strengthen good governance and accountability and fight against corruption in eThekwini.

Issued by Nicole Graham, DA eThekwini Caucus Leader, 27 August 2019